Semiautomatic rammer for guns



Mfarch 19, 1929 CQNLQN 1,705,659

SEMIAUTOMA'IIC RAMMER FOR GUNS ZSheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 19, 1927 lwucntoz Thomas A- Ecmlun -mimm atented Mar. 19, 1929;

i The invention described herein, may be 'nanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to a semi-automatic rammer-ifor guns and isparticularly adapted 4 for guns whose length of recoil is less than the length of. the round of ammunition. V

' In firing guns at aerial targets the gun s usually. pointed at a considerable elevation andbeca use of the weight of the round and ing the brief interval that the target is within range it advisable to employ a mechanical apparatus for ramming the rounds into 1 the. chamber.

, In guns having a long recoil the rammer 1 may be eonvenientlyenergized by the gun on returns into battery. However, with guns of shor t'recoil if the rammer is to be energized by the gun it must be so associated therewith that it will'be moved an additional distance-tothe rear to'allow for the excess length oftheround. In order to provide for this excess movement the present invention contemplates a rammer includingfa l .series of telescoping pistons designed toprovidea rammingstroke which is three: times :30 the stroke oft-he energizing member.

Wflhthe foregoing and other objects in view;1 my invention resides in the novel, arrangement and combination of parts and m V scribed'andclaimed, it being understood that ventionfherein disclosed may be made within the scopeof What is claimed without'departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention v is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: V

Fig. 1 is "a view in side elevation and partly in section of a gun equipped with the fj'im'proved rammer shown in the cocked or retracted position; 1

-.Fig.j2 is an enlarged longitudinal [sec- I tional view of the rammer in the position shown inFig. 1; i I y 'Fig.. 3 is a similar view'of therammer V in'theforward, position;

V Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4- -4 of F g-1r r Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rammer proper; 1

- the desirability of securing rapid fire durrecoil and. held in cocked position as the gun the details of construction hereinafter 'dechanges in the precise embodiment of the in-- mass i THOMAS A. CONLON, oF'sILvER SPRING, MARYLAND; sEMIAU'roMATIc RAMMER non GUNs.

' H 7 Application filed November 19, 1927. Serial No.'234;502. i

3 .(G A ED UNDER was ACT or MARCH 3,1883, AS AMENDED Artur; 3031928; 370 0. e. 757.)"

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified formof rammer shown in the forward position; I v

F 7 is a plan view of the same showing the elements in the retracted po sition;-

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View of the buffer; i

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference: 4

The ramming apparatus forming the subject of this invention is particularly adapted for rapid fire. guns having breech mechanisms of the semi-automatic typeland for the purpose of illustration there is shown a gun of'this character consisting of a barrel 5' reciprocally mounted in the cradle Gland having a short recoil stroke considerably less than the lengthof the cartridge. "The gun, as shown, is provided witha'vertically sliding or drop breech block 7 adapted toautomatically open during the final counter recoil stroke of the gun ina well known manner, to permit extraction-oi the empty, cartridge case. The breech ringfof .thegun is also formed with the-"usual loading recess 5* 'incidentto the use of the drop block and attached to the breech ring is a projectile tray 8.

The ramming apparatus as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a stationary cylinder 9 fixed to the cradle, a hollow piston or plunger 10 mounted therein and a piston 11 telescoping in thehollow piston. The piston 11 constitutes the rammer and carries at its rear extremity around engaging finger-12 whose design is dependent on the character of the mounting employed. As shown the finger 12,.is mounted. in a housing l3 and is normally depressed by a spring 14 to a positionwhere it will engage behind. the base of a cartridge placed on the tray, preparatory to being loaded into the chamber. For the purpose of eliminating vibration. during movement the housing 13. is formed with a 1'' head 15 which is slidably fitted into a correspondingly grooved guide rail 16 secured to the cradle.

The hollow.piston 10 is formed at itsrear end with an annular seat 17 arranged to engage behind the. gun lug 5 and be retracted thereby on recoih Durmg'such retraction a pressure fluid in the fixed cylinder 9 is displaced and caused-to enter the hollow piston 7 through the ports 18. As the pressure in- I creases the oil acting on the head 11 of the piston 11 causes it 'to'be retracted thereby energizing areaction means, conveniently air confined between the piston head and the rear .walllO of the hollow piston. I With the cross-sectional area of the piston 10 equal to one-half the area of the fixed; Y

cylinder 9 thepiston 11 is moved to the rear most position it is held cocked by means'ofa i latch mechanism 19 mounted; in the guide rail 16 and engagingin 'front of the T head 15. I

Inasmuch as the rammer"must' be returned, to battery with sufficient force to re-- "lease the extractors (not shown). which hold the breech block open it is desirable to place the air behind the piston unde'r an'iinitial pressure andto employ abraking mechanism which, for example, may assume the form of asimp'le buffer 20 carried at the forward end of the fixed cylinder 9.

\Vhere the characteristics o fthe gun are such as notto require the compact device just described, a rammer, operating according to the same-principles, may be constructe'd asshown in Figs. 3 and 4:. In this case the outer cylinder 9 instead of being fixed to the cradle isconnected to the gun lug 5" by means of rods 21 soas to be retracted the gunva'nd the-hollow piston 1 0 is'fixedv to the cradle 6 so that the pressure actuat' ing fluid in the cylinder 9" may directly cause retraction of the rammer piston 11 and compress air in the .manner' described.

Vvhile the ramming apparatus has been shown as associated with a] loading trayi fixed to the cradle of the gun it istobe clearly'understood that may equally as well be mounted an oscillating loading tray.

i lclaimi e 1 1. In a loading apparatus for guns, a fixed outercylinder, a recoil-actuated hollow pi'ston spaced therefrom to form a fluid chamber and having fluid communication therewith, a piston in said hollow piston L forming therewith a fluid chamber, a' fluid under .initialpressure in said chamber, fa

round engaging member associated with the piston, a latch for holding the}. pistons in extended position and meansfor checking the-momentum of'the pistons upon restora-:

tion. v r l 1 2. In a loading apparatus: for guns, a fixed outer cylinder, a recoil-actuated hollow piston spaced therefromto form a 'fluid ment' to the piston in excess chamber andfhaving fluid communication therewith, apiston in-said hollow piston forming therewith a fluid chambeiga fluid i under initial pressure 1n Sflld. chamber, a-

round engaging member associated with the latter piston, nda latch for holding the:

pistons in extendedposition.

'3. In a loading apparatus for guns, a

fixed outer cylinder, a recoil-actuated hollow piston spaced therefrom to form afluid chamber and having fluid communication therewith, a pistonin-said hollow piston forming therewith a ifluid chamber, la fluid in saidchamber, around engagmgme'mber associated with thelatter piston, and-a latch for holding the piston's'in extended position. 4, In a loading apparatus'for'guns', afixed outer cylinder, 'a recoil-actuated hollow piston spaced therefrom to form a fluid chamher and having fiuidj communication therewith, a rammer piston' in saidhollovt'pis ton forming therewitha chamber,.a reaction element in said chamber, and. means for holding the pistons'inextended position.

5. A loading apparatus for gu a fi d outer cylinder, at recoil-actuated hollow piston thereinya fluid displaceable into. said i the cylinder and hollow piston,fa rammer piston, in saidfhollow piston retractable by the displaced fluid, and a reaction element energized upon retraction of said rammer piston. 1 6. In a loadingapparatus;for .guns, a fixed outer cylinder, a'recoil {actuated hollow piston therein, a pressure fluid actuated rammer piston retractable on recoilimo'vem'entfof the hollow piston,' and" reaction means energized upon retraction of said rammer piston, V

v 7 Ina loading apparatus a member movable, n recoil wlth a gun, a pressure fluid hollow vpiston upon relative 'movement I or retractable piston carried' by said member I.

and actuated'-. during recoil movement of: said member and reaction means energized ;by said p1ston.. j

8, In a loading apparatus, a member movable 1n recoil with a gun, a pressure fluid actuated piston retractable, during' recoil movement of said "member and reaction means energized by said p ston.v 9 In a loading apparatus, a pair of telescoping pistons, one of which is recoil actuated and the other pressure fluid actuated and reaction was ene ythefiuid actuated piston." I r 1 n l d ng" pp t f' u d aCtu- V anism'} actuated by means ofa gun in recoi ated pii toni and afluidi" compressing mechi and acting differentially to impart a move, 7 ofthemovement of the mechanism.

v r A- CONLQN; 

